The aim of 'Capital Pubcheck' is to share information about the latest happenings on the London pub scene including new pub and bar openings, name changes, acquisitions, closures, notable changes to beer ranges etc. Cross references to CAMRA's various pub guides covering Greater London are also provided to enable easy updating. Information is gathered from a variety of sources including London Drinker readers, individual CAMRA members and branch contacts, breweries, pub operators, landlords etc.

A fairly quiet month with a sprinkling of new pubs including another Bass 'All Bar One' and a new free house specialising in Adnams beers, both in W1 Marylebone, and the latest Fuller's 'Fine Line' in SW4 Clapham. A free house in SE10 Greenwich has reopened after permission for conversion to residential was refused, despite being located next to another pub.

The numbers in brackets after each entry refer to the page number in the following guides: E -East London & City Beer Guide, 3rd edition; K - Real Ale Drinkers Guide to Kent Pubs, 8th edition; N - North London Beer Guide, 3rd edition; SE - South East London Pub Guide, 4th edition; 3SE -South East London Pub Guide, 3rd edition; SW - South West London Pub Guide, 2nd edition; W -Real Beer in West London; X - Essex Beer Guide, 9th edition. If you would like to report changes to pubs or beers, please write to: Capital Pubcheck, 2 Sandtoft Road, London SE7 7LR.

NEW & REOPENED PUBS & PUBS CONVERTED TO REAL ALE

CENTRAL

W1(F), RYANS PUBLIC HOUSE (BAR), 52 Wells St. Courage: Best Bitter. Former wine bar converted to an Irish Free House in early 1998 but not previously reported. Two ground floor bars divided into separate drinking areas decorated with some genuine Irish bric-a-brac including musical instruments, old Guinness and whiskey bottles etc. Polished dark wooden floors, `smokey yellow' decor and TV. Downstairs (fizz) bar hosts a comedy club on Monday evenings. Over 21s only. Food. Opens 12-10.30 Mon-Fri only. Closed weekends.

W1(F), MORTIMER, 40 Berners St. Adnams: Bitter (£2.20), Regatta (rotates with other Adnams beers). New Chapel Inns Free House opened in March 1999 in former shop premises under (newish) apartment block. Large, airy rectangular shaped modem bar in 'minimalist' (no clutter) style with large clear windows, polished wooden floor, pale yellow and white walls, functional furnishing with some sofas, subtle lighting and long minor along side wall. Long metallic bar counter including 'open' kitchen servery. Outside drinking on terrace, disabled WC. Hot food, 12-2.30, 7- lOpm. Expensive but a welcome outlet for real ale. Apparently an example of a `gastro-pub'. Open 12-11 Mon-Sat. Closed Sundays.

W1(Mar), ALL BAR ONE, 5/6 Picton Place. Draught Bass; Fuller: London Pride. Latest Bass owned example of chain opened late June 1999 in former shop and commercial premises. Usual format but with a slightly softer feel with the odd sofa at the front. Raised seating area at rear.

NORTH

N1, HOXTON SQUARE, 2/4 Hoxton Sq. No real ale. A Free House/bar and kitchen in former workshop premises.

SOUTH EAST

SE10, FOX & HOUNDS, 56 Royal Hill. Reopened and renamed OBSERVATORY. Draught Bass; Fuller: London Pride; Morland: Old Speckled Hen. Free House reopened after being closed for over a year during which an attempt to convert it for residential use was thankfully thwarted. Completely refurbished in contemporary style with stone flagged floors, wood panelled walls, pale blue decor, light wood furniture and bar fittings, chandeliers and prints of old Greenwich. A new conservatory has been built at the rear, leading to a (smaller) garden. Clock behind bar measures also temperature and humidity. Opens all permitted hours (SE98, U102, U136)

SOUTH WEST

SW1(P) PIMLICO TRAM, 6 Charlwood St. Everard: Tiger. Greene King: IPA. Welcome reinstatement of real ale after five years by keen guv-nor. Other 'guest beers' from Greene King quarterly list including Gale's HSB and Wells Bombardier may be added if sufficient demand. Full refurbishment due. to kill off '60s Charrington blandness. CAMRA members and real ale drinkers welcome to help buck the trend towards fizz. (SW44)

SW4, FINE LINE. 182-184 Clapham High St. Fuller: London Pride. Latest Fuller's café-bar opened June 1999 in former shop premises. Decorated in typical style with pine flooring and furniture and mauve settees. Food, disabled WC. Open 12-11 Mon-Sat, 12-10.30 Sun

SW19, BAR MED, 21 Worple Rd. No real ale. Free House/cafe-bar in former telecom building.

WEST

W3, LEAMINGTON, 222 Horn Lane. Greene King: Abbot (W65, U43, U87)

PUBS CLOSED OR CEASED SELLING REAL ALE

CENTRAL

Wl(S), SUN & THIRTEEN CANTONS. Fuller, H removed. A sad decline in a once oasis for real ale in Soho and former GBG entry. (W44, U54, U90, U132, U133)

EAST

BARKING, VOLUNTEER. Bass, demolished. (X12)

SOUTH WEST

SW19, KING LEOPOLD ARMS. Free House, converted to Mexican restaurant (SW118)

WEST

W3, ALBION. Allied. No real ale. (W64)

W3, GOLDSMITHS ARMS. S&N. No real ale. (W64, U92, U107)

W3, PRINCE OF WALES. ex-Truman. No real ale. (W65, U92)

W3, REDBACK. S&N, ex-Truman. No real ale. Formerly GIN PALACE, originally WHITE HART. (W65, U53, U92)

W3, ROCKET. Free House (Labatts). No real ale. (W65, U92, U98)

W3, SIX BELLS. S&N, ex-Watney. No real ale. (W65, U68, U92)

OTHER CHANGES TO PUBS & BEER RANGES

CENTRAL

W1(Mar), ARISTOCRAT. -beers listed; +Brakspear: Bitter; +Greene King: IPA; +up to 4 other varying beers. Now open Sat afternoons. (W33)

W1(Mar), CITY OF QUEBEC. Renamed QUEBEC (THE), still fizz, but 5 bottle conditioned Belgian beers at about £3.25! Opens late Wed to Sat evenings. Predominantly gay clientele still. (W34, U89)

W1(Mar), FATHER ED'S. Renamed THREE CHEERS about a year ago, still Irish themed. (U129)

W1(Mar), WILLIAM WALLACE. -Theakston: Best Bitter; -Youngers: Scotch Bitter; +McEwan: 70/-; +Maclay: Wallace IPA. Formerly LINCOLN. (W35, U93, U98, U129)

W1(May), SPREADEAGLE. Now SPREAD EAGLE (two words) once again! (W40, U90, U98, U100, U106)

WC2, HOGSHEAD, 21 Drury Lane. Reverted to SUN. -Fuller:London Pride; +Wadworth: 6X, now only 2 guest beers on (H) and no casks behind bar. (W56, U77)

SOUTH WEST

SW1(P), WHITE SWAN. Guest beers include Batemans, Ash Vine and Greene King Abbot (regular quarterly guest). (SW44, U139)

SW4, FRIESIAN & FIRKIN, -beers listed except Friesian; +Firkin: Best Bitter. No longer a brewpub, beers supplied from other Firkin brewpubs. Beers are supplied in cask and hence can now be defined as ‘real ale’. (SW60)

SW6, PADDY'S GOOSE. Now simply GOOSE (THE) and badged by Greene King as part of the `Pickled Newt' chain. (SW70)

SW19, DOYLE'S. -Tetley: Bitter; +Fuller: London Pride, Guest beer (currently Tolly Cobbold, 99p a pint). Formerly GROVE TAVERN. (SW117, U147)

MITCHAM, OAK & ACORN. Real ale rarely available. (SW147, U137)

WEST

HAMPTON HILL, ROEBUCK. -beers listed; +Badger: Dorset Best, Golden Champion Ale. Now a Free House, ex-Truman. (W106, U94)